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Weird Fiction Review celebrates 12 Days of Monsters

Thanks go out to Weird Fiction for doing a special monster theme coordinated with our ICFA theme of the monsterous with contributions from Dora Goss, China Mieville, Nancy Hightower, Johanna Sinisalo, Julio Cortazar, Amos Tutuola, Jeffrey Ford.

You can download a pdf of Jeff Vandermeer’s Monstrous Creatures collection free for this week only, to help celebrate their 12 Days of Monsters. If you like the collection, think about thanking Guide Dog Press by buying a copy! Also available, is the ebook version of our The Kosher Guide to Imaginary Animals in either epub or mobi formats. If you enjoy the download, consider buying the gorgeous little hardcover edition and/or making a donation to Weirdfictionreview.com (via the Donate button on the main page).

Awesome guests!

China Miéville           Jeffrey J Cohen

I hope everyone at the conference has had a chance to catch up with our fabulous guests of honor! Two luncheons down and our two guest speakers rival each other for humor and excellence… and let’s face it, brilliance. Various forms of canniness and a deeper appreciation for zombies and why perhaps we should reconsider our desire to shoot them in the head were enlightening and stemming conversations throughout the halls and by the pool.

2011 Aurealis Awards finalists announced

Finalists have been announced for the 2011 Aurealis Awards, honoring SF, fantasy, and horror by Australians. Winners will be announced on May 12, 2012 at the 17th Annual Aurealis Awards ceremony at the Independent Theatre in North Sydney, Australia. Details at the Aurealis Awards website. For further information about the awards please contact the convenors at convenors@aurealisawards.com.

Best Science Fiction Novel

  • Machine Man, Max Barry (Scribe)
  • Children of Scarabaeus, Sara Creasy (Harper Voyager)
  • The Waterboys, Peter Docker (Fremantle)
  • Black Glass, Meg Mundell (Scribe)
  • The Courier’s New Bicycle, Kim Westwood (Harper Voyager)

Best Science Fiction Short Story

  • “Flowers in the Shadow of the Garden”, Joanne Anderton (Hope)
  • “Desert Madonna”, Robert Hood (Anywhere but Earth)
  • “SIBO”, Penelope Love (Anywhere but Earth)
  • “Dead Low”, Cat Sparks (Midnight Echo)
  • “Rains of la Strange”, Robert N. Stephenson (Anywhere but Earth)

Best Fantasy Novel

  • The Undivided, Jennifer Fallon (Harper Voyager)
  • Ember and Ash, Pamela Freeman (Hachette)
  • Stormlord’s Exile, Glenda Larke (Harper Voyager)
  • Debris, Jo Anderton (Angry Robot)
  • The Shattered City, Tansy Rayner Roberts (Harper Voyager)

Best Fantasy Short Story

  • “Fruit of the Pipal Tree”, Thoraiya Dyer (After the Rain)
  • “The Proving of Smollett Standforth”, Margo Lanagan (Ghosts by Gaslight)
  • “Into the Clouds on High”, Margo Lanagan (Yellowcake)
  • “Reading Coffee”, Anthony Panegyris (Overland)
  • “The Dark Night of Anton Weiss”, D.C. White (More Scary Kisses)

Best Horror Novel

No Shortlist or Winning Novel – Two Honorable Mentions Awarded to:

  • The Broken Ones, Stephen M. Irwin (Hachette)
  • The Business of Death, Trent Jamieson (Hachette)

Best Horror Short Story

  • “And the Dead Shall Outnumber the Living”, Deborah Biancotti (Ishtar)
  • “The Past is a Bridge Best Left Burnt”, Paul Haines (The Last Days of Kali Yuga)
  • “The Short Go: a Future in Eight Seconds”, Lisa L. Hannett (Bluegrass Symphony)
  • “Mulberry Boys”, Margo Lanagan (Blood and Other Cravings)
  • “The Coffin Maker’s Daughter”, Angela Slatter (A Book of Horrors)

Best Young Adult Novel

  • Shift, Em Bailey (Hardie Grant Egmont)
  • Secrets of Carrick: Tantony, Ananda Braxton-Smith (black dog)
  • The Shattering, Karen Healey (Allen & Unwin)
  • Black Glass, Meg Mundell (Scribe)
  • Only Ever Always, Penni Russon (Allen & Unwin)

Young Adult Short Story

  • “Nation of the Night”, Sue Isle (Nightsiders)
  • “Finishing School”, Kathleen Jennings (Steampunk)
  • “Seventy-Two Derwents”, Cate Kennedy (The Wicked Wood: Tales from the Tower Volume 2)
  • “One Window”, Martine Murray (The Wilful Eye: Tales from the Tower Volume 1)
  • “The Patrician”, Tansy Rayner Roberts (Love and Romanpunk)

Best Children’s Fiction (told primarily through words)

  • The Outcasts, John Flanagan (Random House Australia)
  • The Paradise Trap, Catherine Jinks (Allen & Unwin)
  • “It Began with a Tingle”, Thalia Kalkapsakis (Headspinners, Allen & Unwin)
  • The Coming of the Whirlpool, Andrew McGahan (Allen & Unwin)
  • City of Lies, Lian Tanner (Allen & Unwin)

Best Children’s Fiction (told primarily through pictures)

  • The Ghost of Annabel Spoon, Aaron Blabey (author and illustrator) (Viking)
  • Sounds Spooky, Christopher Cheng (author) & Sarah Davis (illustrator (Random House Australia)
  • The Last Viking, Norman Jorgensen (author) & James Foley (illustrator) (Fremantle)
  • The Deep: Here be Dragons, Tom Taylor (author) & James Brouwer (illustrator) (Gestault)
  • Vampyre, Margaret Wild (author) & Andrew Yeo (illustrator) (Walker)

Best Collection

  • Bad Power, Deborah Biancotti (Twelfth Planet)
  • Last Days of Kali Yuga, Paul Haines (Brimstone)
  • Bluegrass Symphony, Lisa Hanett (Ticonderoga)
  • Nightsiders, Sue Isle (Twelfth Planet)
  • Love and Romanpunk, Tansy Rayner Roberts (Twelfth Planet)

Best Anthology

  • Ghosts by Gaslight, Jack Dann & Nick Gevers, eds. (HarperVoyager)
  • Year’s Best Australian Fantasy and Horror 2010, Liz Grzyb & Talie Helene, eds. (Ticonderoga)
  • Ishtar, Amanda Pillar & K.V. Taylor, eds. (Gilgamesh)
  • The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: Volume 5, Jonathan Strahan, ed. (Night Shade)
  • Life on Mars, Jonathan Strahan, ed. (Viking)

Best Illustrated Book/Graphic Novel

  • Hidden, Mirranda Burton (author and illustrator) (Black Pepper)
  • Torn, Andrew Constant (author) & Joh James (illustrator) additional illustrators Nicola Scott, Emily Smith (Gestalt)
  • Salsa Invertebraxa, Mozchops (author and illustrator) (Pecksniff)
  • The Eldritch Kid: Whiskey and Hate, Christian Read (author) & Michael Maier (illustrator) (Gestalt)
  • The Deep: Here be Dragons, Tom Taylor (author) & James Brouwer (illustrator) (Gestalt)

CFP: PAMLA 2012 / SF Division

The Science Fiction Division of the Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association invites paper proposals for the 110th annual PAMLA conference, held this year at Seattle University, in Seattle, Washington from October 19th – 21st, 2012.

All abstracts proposing original science fiction scholarship will receive full consideration.

To propose a paper, please follow this link and use the Online Proposal Submission Form, which will help guide your paper title, abstract, and proposal (of no more than 500 words) to the Science Fiction Division by the April 22nd deadline: http://www.pamla.org/2012/proposals

A few official stipulations:

  • Members may only deliver one paper at the conference. You may submit more than one proposal, but as soon as you accept an invitation, you must inform the organizers of the other sessions that you are no longer eligible to present in their sessions.
  • Papers may not be read in absentia.
  • Participation in the conference requires payment of PAMLA 2012 membership dues by June 1st, 2012 and the separate conference registration fee by September 15th, 2012.

About the conference venue:

Seattle University, founded in 1891, is a Jesuit Catholic university located on 50 acres in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. More than 7,900 students are enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs within eight schools and colleges. U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Colleges 2011” ranks Seattle University among the top ten universities in the West that offer a full range of masters and undergraduate programs.

Learn more at Seattle University’s website.

2012 Philip K. Dick Award Judges Announced

The five Philip K. Dick Award judges for distinguished science fiction published in paperback original format in the United States in the 2012 award year are:

  • Bruce Bethke
  • Sydney Duncan
  • Daryl Gregory
  • Bridget McKenna
  • Paul Witcover

Publishers who issue eligible titles during the calendar year 2012 are encouraged to provide copies to each of the judges as the books are published during the year.  (All works of science fiction published originally in the United States as paperbacks during the year 2012 are eligible.) The nominees will be announced in January 2013.

The Philip K. Dick Award is presented annually with the support of the Philip K. Dick Trust for distinguished science fiction published in paperback original form in the United States.  The award is sponsored by the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society and the award ceremony is sponsored by the NorthWest Science Fiction Society.  The 2010 award was given to THE STRANGE AFFAIR OF SPRING HEELED JACK by Mark Hodder (Pyr) with a special citation to HARMONY by Project Itoh (Haikasoru).  The 2011 awards will be announced at Norwescon 35 on April 6, 2012.

For more information, contact the award administration:

Gordon Van Gelder (201) 876-2551
John Silbersack (212) 333-1513
Pat Lo Brutto (845) 516-4412

For more information about the Philip K. Dick Trust: http://www.philipkdick.com

For more information about the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society, http://www.psfs.org/:

Contact Gary Feldbaum (215) 665-5752

For more information about Norwescon,  http://www.norwescon.org/:

Contact NorthWest SF Society: (425) 686-9737

SFWA Announces Honorees of the 2012 Solstice Awards

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America are pleased to announce Octavia Butler and John Clute as the recipients of the Solstice Awards for 2012. The Solstice Awards are granted to up to three persons, living or dead, who have consistently had a positive, transformative influence on the genre of science fiction and fantasy.

Octavia Butler (June 22, 1947 – February 24, 2006 ) was a giant in the field of science fiction and fantasy; her work was awarded Nebula and Hugo awards, and she was the first science fiction writer to be granted the MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant. Butler’s fiction delved into sociological, political and religious issues, explored gender, sexuality and cultural identity. She looked for the problems in the world, and tried to find answers and solutions. Butler’s works include the Nebula Award winning novel Parable of the Talents, Fledgling, Kindred, the Patternist series, the Lilith’s Brood series and numerous short stories.

Butler passed away in 2006. SFWA is proud to posthumously award her the Solstice Award for her influence in science fiction and fantasy.

John Clute (born 1940) is a Canadian-born author and critic. Clute’s most notable contribution to the field consists of his work on a trio of reference works: the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, the Encyclopedia of Fantasy, and the Illustrated Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, all of which won Hugo Awards in the category of Best Related Work. Clute is also the author of several collections of criticism and critical essays on the genre, as well as the 2001 space opera, Appleseed, which was listed by the New York Times as a Notable Book for the year.

The Solstice Awards were created to acknowledge members who have had a significant impact on the science fiction and fantasy landscape. It is especially meant for those who have made a consistent, positive, major difference in the genre.

The award is given at the discretion of the president, with the majority approval of the SFWA Board of Directors. Up to three awards may be presented each year, awarded to any person, living or deceased, with the exception of recipients of the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award, or those who have been named Author Emeritus. Both members and non-members are eligible.

The Solstice Awards have previously been awarded to Alice B. Sheldon/James Tiptree Jr, Michael Whelan, Kate Wilhelm, Tom Doherty, Terri Windling and Donald A. Wolheim

The 47th Annual Nebula Awards Weekend

The awards will be presented at SFWA’s 47th Annual Nebula Awards Weekend, to be held Thursday through Sunday, May 17 to May 20, 2012 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia, near Reagan National Airport. As announced earlier this year, Connie Willis will be the recipient of the 2011 Damon Knight Grand Master Award for her lifetime contributions and achievements in the field. Walter Jon Williams will preside as toastmaster, with Astronaut Michael Fincke as keynote speaker.

Founded in 1965 by the late Damon Knight, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America brings together the most successful and daring writers of speculative fiction throughout the world.

Since its inception, SFWA® has grown in numbers and influence until it is now widely recognized as one of the most effective non-profit writers’ organizations in existence, boasting a membership of approximately 1,800 science fiction and fantasy writers as well as artists, editors and allied professionals.  Each year the organization presents the prestigious Nebula Awards® for the year’s best literary and dramatic works of speculative fiction.

Connie Willis interviewed in SFWA

SFWA did an interview of last year’s ICFA guest of honor and this year’s Nebula Award winner! Take a look at the SFWA website.

Zumba comes to ICFA

Karen HelleksonKaren Hellekson will be teaching zumba in Capri at 6:30a on Thu Mar 22, Fri Mar 23, and Sat Mar 24 in Capri at 6:30a. The class meets for an hour. Conference panel sessions begin at 8:30a.

Pack your workout shoes and water bottle! There’s a risk and release form in your registration packet to sign and bring to class (Karen will have more with her). If you own Zumba clothing, please wear it.

For those not in the know, Zumba is a Latin-inspired world dance class, and it’s super easy and super fun. All levels of experience are welcome. You can learn more at Zumba.com.

More info, tentative playlist, and like that are on Karen’s aerobics blog:

http://stepkaren.wordpress.com/2012/03/05/zumba-at-icfa/

CFP: American Telefantasy

NETWORKING KNOWLEDGE
CALL FOR PAPERS: AMERICAN TELEFANTASY

Television schedules are currently rife with Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror programmes. Whereas the re-launched Doctor Who continues to lead the charge of contemporary British telefantasy (Merlin, Being Human, Misfits et al), US shows attract large audiences, extensive media coverage and – since Peter Dinklage’s Emmy win for Game of Thrones – mainstream awards.

Established programmes such as True Blood, Fringe and Sanctuary offer a continued presence on primetime schedules; while cable shows such as The Walking Dead and Falling Skies have had demonstrable ratings success. However, is the demise of previously dominant franchises such as Star Trek, Stargate and Battlestar Galactica representative of an uncertain future?  Or will the genre continue to thrive thanks to high-profile newcomers with celebrity showrunners like JJ Abrams’ Alcatraz, Steven Spielberg’s Terra Nova and Kevin Williamson’s The Secret Circle?

The prevalence of contemporary anxieties centered upon (and within) television Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror appear to indicate an opportune time to consider how US telefantasy might be understood, examined and contextualised.

Papers of between 6,000 and 8,000 words are invited from postgraduate students and early career researchers across the humanities and social sciences for this special edition of Networking Knowledge: Journal of the MeCCSA-PGN.  Possible topics might include, but are not limited to:

  • Historical case studies
  • Franchises and/or Authorship
  • The role of technology in science fiction television
  • Representing (in)human subjectivities and/or identities
  • The aesthetics of Fantasy television
  • Constructions of utopia/dystopia
  • Genre and/or narrative theory
  • Marketing television Horror
  • Performance and/or Stardom
  • Issues of reception
  • Telefantasy and realism

Proposals of approx. 250 words should be directed to the issue’s guest editors Rhys Thomas at rothomas@gmail.com or Sophie Halliday at smhalliday@gmail.com by 6th April 2012.  If accepted, completed articles need to be submitted by 1st June 2012.  For any further information, please contact Rhys, Sophie or NK general editor Tom Phillips at knowledge.networking257@gmail.com.

Heinlein Society Announces Two Undergraduate Scholarships for 2012

The Heinlein Society is pleased to announce that for the 2012-2013 academic year we will be offering the first of many scholarships. There will be two $500 scholarships awarded to undergraduate students of accredited 4-year colleges and universities majoring in engineering, math, or physical sciences (e.g. physics, chemistry), or in Science Fiction as Literature. Applicants will need to submit a 500-1,000 word essay on one of several available topics.

To apply, fill out the form below and print or email. Deadline is May 15, 2012.

Heinlein Society 2012 Scholarship Application

(If your browser has compatibility issues, right-click and download the form)
  1. Deadline for scholarship applications is May 15, 2012.
  2. Refer to criteria below for eligibility requirements.
  3. Refer to application process below for a list of the supporting documents needed (i.e., reference forms, essay, etc.
  4. Please type or print legibly.
  5. If you have any questions about the application, please email scholarships@heinleinsociety.org.

Purpose: To provide scholarship to 2 deserving full time students attending a four-year college.

Award Components: Two (2) $500 scholarships awarded to students selected by the Heinlein Society Scholarship Committee.

Eligibility Requirements

  1. Applicant must be a full time undergraduate student enrolled in an accredited college that awards Bachelor of Science or Arts degrees.
  2. Major must be Science Fiction as Literature or Engineering, Math or Physical Sciences (e.g. Physics, Chemistry).
  3. Open to residents of any country.

Application Process

Applicant must submit the following items:

  1. Completed application form (if handwritten, please print legibly)
  2. A brief explanation of career goals and biographical (background) information.
  3. A 500 – 1,000 word essay on one of the following subjects:
    1. How Robert Heinlein affected my career choice.
    2. My favorite Robert Heinlein story and why.
    3. The importance of space exploration to the future of the human race.

Deadline for the application is May 15, 2012. Applications postmarked or emailed after this date will not be considered.

Please mail completed application to:
The Heinlein Society
3553 Atlantic Ave. #341
Long Beach, CA 90807-5606

or email to: scholarships@heinleinsociety.org

Heinlein Society 2012 Scholarship Application